Flame divider



J. T. ALGER FLAME DIVIDER Nov. 8, 1960 Filed Jan. 6, 1958 'Flq 4- WS 2 58 Q sew L if INVENTOR Terr-L T. A lc eh A'fl'orneqs FLAME DIVIDER Jerry T. Alger, Bellwood, Ill., assignor to Configured Tube Products Co., Bellwood, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 707,304

1 Claim. (Cl. 158-113) This invention relates to burners for the combustion of gas or other suitable fuel, and pertains particularly to flame shapers for use with such burners.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flame divider which may be'mounted on a single port type burner tube to produce twin flames extending upwardly at an inclined angle in opposite lateral directions.

A further object is to provide such a new and improved flame divider which will produce a flame which is stable and quiet in operation.

Another object is to provide a new and improved flame divider which is effective and eflicient, yet is low in cost and easy to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing a burner tube equipped with a flame divider to be described as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the view showing the burner as used in a wall heater or the like, with the wall heater being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. I, but with the flame divider shown on a larger scale and in section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the flame divider.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the flame divider, taken as indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing a slightly modified, asymmetrical flame divider.

It will be seen that Figs. l-4 illustrate a flame shaper or divider 10, which, in the illustrated form, is mounted on a burner 12. While the burner 12 may be employed for many applications, it is shown as used in a wall heater 14.

The illustrated wall heater 14 is shown in fragmentary fashion. The burner 12 is mounted below the bottom wall 18, in a suitable compartment 20. In this case, the wall heater 14 has a pair of vertical exchangers or flues 22 and 24 which are disposed near the center of the bottom wall 18 but are spaced apart so that the air may circulate between the flues. The flame shaper is arranged to divide the flame of the burner 12 so that hot products of combustion will travel up both flues.

While the burner 12 may be arranged in various ways, it is shown as comprising a burner tube 26 having an entrance portion 28, a venturi portion 30, and a terminal or discharge portion 32. The burner tube 26 is vertically disposed in this case, with the discharge end 32 upper most.

Gas or other suitable fuel may be introduced into the entrance portion 28 through an axial jet 34 connected to a gas pipe 36 or the like. The illustrated entrance portion 28 is generally cylindrical and is formed with ports 38 to admit air.

The venturi portion 30 comprises a narrow throat so that the injection of the gas draws air into the ports 38. The fuel and air travel upwardly through the burner tube 26 and are thoroughly mixed therein.

United States Patent 0 To discharge the fuel-air mixture, the terminal end 32 of the illustrated burner tube 26 is formed with a single axial discharge port 40. A curved inturned flange 42 is formed around the port 40 to produce a slight constricting action.

It will be seen that the burner tube 26 is spaced below the lower wall 18, midway between the stacks 22 and 24. As already indicated, the flame shaper 10 is provided to divide the flame into two parts which will travel upwardly into the two flues 22 and 24.

Thus, the illustrated flame divider 10 comprises a flame-dividing target member 44 which is positioned in front of the discharge port 40, in the path of the fuelair mixture. In general, the target member 44 may be regarded as of inverted U-shape, with a crossbar 46 extending between a pair of legs 48. At its lower end, each of the illustrated legs 48 is formed into a cylindrically curved mounting stub 50, adapted to be welded or otherwise secured to the burner tube 26. In this case, welds 52 are shown between the mounting stubs 50 and the burner tube.

The crossbar 46 is illustrated as being straight and horizontal. As shown, the crossbar 46 is relatively narrow, with respect to the diameter of the discharge port 40. The legs 48 extend somewhat beyond the end of the burner tube 26 and are formed with narrow upper portions 54 which connect with the crossbar 46. Thus, the crossbar 46 is spaced some distance upwardly from the discharge port 40.

In order to guide and direct the divided flame, the target member 44 is formed with a pair of laterally extending wings 56, connected to the lateral margins of the crossbar 46. As illustrated, the wings 56 are sloped or inclined upwardly in opposite lateral directions, so as to angle away from the upper end of the burner tube 26.

To enhance the flame-guiding action, each of the illustrated wings 56 has a pair of depending flanges 58 formed along its ends. The flanges 58 are on the same sides of the flame divider 10, as are the legs 48.

In Figs. l-4, the wings 56 are symmetrically arranged and thus are inclined at the same angle. However, the flame pattern may be modified by providing asymmetrical wings 56a, sloping at different angles, as illustrated in Fig. 5. In other respects, the flame shaper of Fig. 5 is the same as that of Figs. 14, and the same reference characters have been applied to the drawings.

Figs. 1 and 4 illustrate the general flame pattern pro duced by the flame shaper 10. Thus the flame shaper provides a flame having two main parts 60 which angle away from each other and upwardly under the wings 56, and then pass into the lower ends of the flues 22 and 24. A pair of minor side flames 62 is produced at each end of the crossbar 46, adjacent the upper leg portions 54. These minor flames greatly increase the stability of the flame.

The flame shaper 10 protects the flame from inrushing secondary air so that the flame is not unduly disturbed or agitated by the secondary air. Thus, the flame is stable and quiet. Moreover, the flame shaper considerably increases the effective depth of the discharge port, so as to prevent the flame from flashing back.

It will be recognized that the flame shaper is not only highly advantageous and effective, but is low in cost and easy to manufacture.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In a burner, the combination comprising a burner tube having inner and outer end portions, said outer end portion having a single axial discharge port therein, said outer portion having an inturned flange formed around said port, means for introducing gaseous fuel and air into said inner end portion of said tube, a'flame "divider mounted on said burner tube and comprising a generally U-shap'e'd member with a pair of legs secured to the outer end portion of said burner tube on opposite sides thereof and a substantially straight cross member extending between said legs and spaced outwardly in front of said port, said legs being'substantially narrower. in width than the diameter of said port, said cross member having a pair of substantially straight wings formed integrally therewith and comprising substantially straight flat main walls extending upwardly and laterally at inclinedangles from the opposite lateral margins of said cross member to form a pair of inclined main flames, said wings being References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,041,863 Oehlke Oct. 22, 1912 1,439,176 'Loepsinger Dec. 19, 1922 2,430,688 Schickler Nov. 11, 1947 2,540,308 Weyenberg et al. Feb. 6, 1951 2,731,009 Pocrass et al. Jan. 17, 1956 ya u 

